Like a Lampshade In a Whorehouse: My Life In Comedy Paperback – February 16, 2006

Phyllis Diller opens up to a lot of her personal experiences, good and bad, using a very truthful tone. She has dotted her jokes in between the text, which brings a chuckle. It is not a hard book to read although for me, it seemed to stall from time to time, but is very much worth moving forward to the end. This book is a good reflection of the struggles, challenges, decisions and successes that come when one remains focused on their goal.

I was blown away by Phyllis Diller’s survival at home and in her public persona. I just couldn’t put this book down and I’m sorry it I finished reading it. She’s now one of my heroes!

All done in a great mood and up-spirited fashion, Diller's autobiography covers a great deal of changes in her own life - but also cultural and historical changes in the world she found herself living and performing in.Some reviewers have pointed to the fact that Diller never really gets down into the nitty gritty - she never dishes the deepest or possibly most insightful dirt on herself or those in her life (private or public). She gets and occasional dig in - but the book itself seems to stay on the high road. Her tone indicates - she's a grand dame who has survived some bizarre obstacles in life and now in her later years find herself in a very good place.And I respect her decision to just keep it clean and enjoyable.It's a smooth read - interspersed with samplings of some of her favorite work over the years.For example: "What is the difference between and oral and a rectal thermometer?" [A: see review title]I am passing this on to a friend immediately who could use a smile (and occasional belly laugh).

Ms Diller gives us a look into her life, mind, and sense of self in this biography of a star. While her career is interesting, it's the woman, and her struggles that intrigue me. She is strong, yet fragile. Her self-image is that of one who finds much fault in others, while she imagines herself as the center of her successful universe. While she, undoubtedly, sees herself as an accomplished performer, her skill as a mother can be glimpsed by the way she speaks of her family. We often change our selected memories to fit our failures into our life story, with us as the unappreciated hero/heroine. The vail is light, worn and shabby. She replaced her faith in God forfaith in herself. She was a funny woman, but it saddensMe to see how self- involvedshe was. God bless the familyshe left behind.

I loved this book for many reasons but having grown up in Lima, Ohio and coming from similar German stock there was much to identify with. The book is full of her humor and her experiences and her positive outlook. Not fancy prose or racy expose’, it is the woman in her own words.

I expected it to be gently used, but was surprised it was so worn out. Anyway for the price it's OK, I'm able to read it.Note: it's condition is not donatable

Oh Phyllis Diller, what a life, what a commedian."I love my job, of course this isn't it!"This book goes to the beginning of her life, talks about home life and moves on to how she got into show business."Why do I call him FANG? What do you call a man that has one tooth that is 2 inches long!"She talks about the ups and downs, the people she met, who took advantage of her, who helped her and just talks about how it all happened."I do have this one small problem......Sometimes I want to just push them together and make one good one!"I had followed Phyllis from the time she was on her first show with Groucho Marx until her death. She talks about EVERYTHING in her own style."The green cheese -- So I put it in the refrigerator, and forgot about it. Every now and then I'd open the door and throw it some food. And it was getting crosser and meaner!"You may like the book and you may not like the book but you will never forget about the lady that wrote the book, Phyllis Diller.I do recommend this book if you have a spot in your heart for Phyllis

The brutally honest autobiography of the queen of the female standup comics. Diller recounts her story including her two disastrous marriages before finding the love of her life in her later years. Husband and hustler Sherwood Diller found success finally by talking his wife into taking her "life of the party" demeanor on the road as a stand-up. It worked for Phyllis who recounts her struggles in her stand-up career, the only notable female stand-up of her time. She stayed with Sherwood for many years while he lived it up as the real-life "Fang" (he wasn't Fang's inspiration she insists), long after she should have ditched him, and her second husband turned out to be a closeted gay. An often-absent parent of five kids, Diller's career hit the heights in the 1960's, she had her own short-run sitcom, became a Bob Hope favorite, played Hello Dolly, and along the way became a spokesperson for plastic surgery. She says plastic surgery was to improve what nature gave her, but interestingly had a realistic view of the process and called it quits after she accomplished what she wanted. Interspersed with jokes from her act, it is a moving story of a remarkable person and you are pulling for her throughout.